- Francis Hincks
Infobox President
name = Sir Francis Hincks
caption = The Hon. Francis Hincks
birth_date = birth date|1807|12|14|mf=y
birth_place = Cork,Ireland
death_date =August 18 ,1885
death_place =Montreal, Quebec
order =Premier of Canada West
term_start = 1851
term_end = 1854
predecessor =Robert Baldwin
successor = SirAllan Napier MacNab
party = Reformer
religion =Presbyterian
profession = businessman
spouse =Sir Francis Hincks, PC (
December 14 ,1807 –August 18 ,1885 ) was a Canadian politician.Born in Cork,
Ireland , he was the son ofThomas Dix Hincks an orientalist, naturalist andPresbyterian minister and the brother ofEdward Hincks orientalist, naturalist and clergyman.He moved to York (
Toronto ) in 1832 and set up an importing business there. He rented property fromWilliam Warren Baldwin and his son,Robert Baldwin , becoming friends with the family. He accepted a job as manager for the Farmer's Bank but became manager of the newly-formedBank of the People after the management of the Farmers' Bank became dominated by Tories. When even moderate reformers were being persecuted following theUpper Canada Rebellion of 1837, Hincks considered moving to theUnited States . However, the appointment of Lord Durham in 1838 provided new hope and he chose to continue in Upper Canada. He established "The Examiner" in Toronto, with the aim of promotingresponsible government ; this newspaper merged with the "Globe", the predecessor of theGlobe and Mail , in 1855.Hincks was elected to the 1st Parliament of United Canada in 1841, representing Oxford County. In 1842, He was appointed inspector general of public accounts. In 1844, he became editor of a new newspaper in
Montreal , the "Pilot", which supported Reformers in bothCanada East andCanada West . Because he sought subscriptions for his paper in Canada West, he came into conflict with George Brown, editor of the "Globe". In 1848, he sold the paper and accepted the post of inspector general. He was Premier of the Province of Canada from 1851 to 1854. Hincks' vision of a railroad linking British North America led to the establishment of theGrand Trunk Railway in 1852 and he helped negotiated the Reciprocity Treaty of 1854 with the United States. A scandal developed in 1854 as a result of profits made by Hincks and MayorJohn George Bowes of Toronto from the sale of railway stock and the government fell as a result; when this matter was reviewed in the next parliament, no basis was found for allegations of corruption against Hincks.In 1856, he accepted an appointment as governor of
Barbados and theWindward Islands , and, in 1861, became governor ofBritish Guiana .He was knighted in 1869. On his return to Canada, he was Minister of Finance from 1869 until 1874. In 1878, he represented the federal government on the Ontario-Manitoba boundary commission.He was also an editor of the "
Toronto Express " newspaper. He died inMontreal ofsmallpox in 1885.Hincks Township in Quebec was named in his honour (but was officially renamed in 1975 to Lac-Sainte-Marie).cite web |url=http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/topos/carto.asp?Speci=33337&Latitude=45,95&Longitude=-75,95&Zoom=1700 |title=Lac-Sainte-Marie (Municipalité) |accessdate=2008-09-04 |publisher=Commission de toponymie du Québec |language=French]
References
* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=5583 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/bio.asp?lang=E&query=2608&s=M Synopsis of federal political experience from the Library of Parliament]
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